Field of the Disclosure
The technology of the disclosure relates to distributed antenna systems configured to provide communications signals over a communications medium to and from one or more remote access units for communicating with client devices.
Technical Background
Wireless communication is rapidly growing, with ever-increasing demands for high-speed mobile data communication. As an example, local area wireless services (e.g., “wireless fidelity” or “WiFi” systems) and wide area wireless services are being deployed in many different types of areas. Distributed communications or antenna systems communicate with wireless devices called “clients,” “client devices,” or “wireless client devices,” within the wireless range or “cell coverage area” in order to communicate with an access point device. Distributed antenna systems are particularly useful to be deployed inside buildings or other indoor environments where client devices may not otherwise be able to effectively receive radio-frequency (RF) signals from sources such as base stations. Applications where distributed antenna systems can provide wireless services include public safety, cellular telephony, wireless LANs, location tracking, and medical telemetry inside buildings and over campuses.
One approach to deploying a distributed antenna system involves the use of RF antenna coverage areas, also referred to as “antenna coverage areas.” Antenna coverage areas can be formed by remotely distributed antenna units, also referred to as remote units (RUs). The RUs operate one or more antennas configured to support the desired frequency(ies) or polarization to provide the antenna coverage areas. Typical antenna coverage areas can have a radius in the range from a few meters to up to twenty meters. Combining a number of RUs creates an array of antenna coverage areas. Because the antenna coverage areas each cover small areas, there typically may be only a few users (clients) per antenna coverage area. This arrangement generates a uniform high quality signal enabling high throughput for the wireless system users.
Distributed antenna systems can be configured to serve a single wireless service or a combination of many wireless services operating over multiple radio bands. Different communications mediums can be employed for distributing RF signals to the RUs, such as electrical conductors (e.g., twisted pair wires, coaxial cables), optical fibers, and wireless transmissions. Distributed antenna systems can be employed in existing distributed communications systems where wireless signals are distributed over the same cabling as provided between a hub and access points (APs) in the distributed wireless communications systems.
As the wireless industry evolves, distributed antenna systems have become more sophisticated. Distributed antenna systems may require more complex electronic circuits to enable better use of limited bandwidths and to provide additional functionality. For example, electronic circuits may be employed for additional functionalities, such as interference reduction, increased output power, handling high dynamic range, and signal noise reduction. Further, the functionality of a remote unit may be included in an AP in a distributed wireless communications system. It may be desired to provide remote unit functionality in APs in a distributed wireless communications system without changing or enlarging the form factor of the APs.